Monday, June 20, 2005

Laws and found department

In 2002, Jeff Koon and Andy Powell, two young boys from Georgia wrote a book and built a web site on the same subject—dumb laws. Laws govern these United States of ours. Inspired by Koon and Powell’s efforts (see http://www.dumblaws.com ) here is a list of dumb laws that may incite you to do further investigation about legal behavior in your area. You are probably breaking laws without even knowing it. Reading this may be a misdemeanor for all you know.

In Pennsylvania it is illegal to sing in the bathtub, true, but it is a felony to change the lyrics of any song you sing.In Georgia, where you can carry an ice cream cone in your back pocket on Sunday, it will mean a hefty fine if anyone tries to lick it there.In Iowa it is a violation of the law for a man with a moustache to kiss a woman in public. Further, anyone kissing a bearded lady from a circus will be in for a $250,000 fine and have to work free for a week cleaning scissors at a barbershop.A Maine law states you may not step out of a plane in flight, unless, that is, you have a parachute or the intention to commit suicide.In South Dakota, though it is illegal to fall asleep in a cheese factory, you will be in much more trouble if you fall to sleep and have a sexual dream involving fondue.In Idaho a law stating you may not fish on a camel's back was amended to include playing Monopoly on a buzzard’s beak, dancing on a groundhog, having nausea while six feet from a cow giving birth, playing a banjo for an audience of six or more mallards, eating a peach in the presence of a carpenter, dressing like Julie Christie at a party serving liquor and making a paper airplane while sitting on a mule.